What now
by EastendersHollyoakslover99
Summary: What happens when Lauren and Joey arrive back to Walford but come face to face with a familiar person from their past. Who will Lauren choose and how will everyone react...
1. The unexpected

Lauren's P.V.O

It was fairly busy on the plane.p: families, children , business men and me. I'm flying back to Walford ; I mean New Zealand was great and all that but after the miscarriage mine and Peters relationship became rocky so we decide it'd be best to go see our families to go back to Walford for the for-sealable. The flight attendant had just given me and Peter a five minute warning until landing, oh how I hate this bit.

Max's P.V.O

I can't believe it, I was just popping into the minute mart for a pint of milk, when I was strayed by a familiar face running around the square.

"Joey..."

"Uncle max long time no see ay"

"Is everything alright mate?"

"Yeah at mums me and Al decided we missed our family and so here we are..."

"Alice? How is she? You know after all that... Abi has spoken to her a couple of times and mentioned she's getting on really well"

"Yeah she's back working in an office and she's here with me we checked into the B&amp;B late last night before we go house hunting today."

"Their will be no need for that I have to spare rooms after all oscars with Tanya majority of the time and what with Lauren and Peter living in New Zealand their rooms won't be needed anytime soon..."

"Oh cheers uncle max. Waaaiiit what Lauren and Peter...? New Zealand?"

"Oh yeah didn't no one tell you..."

"Clearly not"

"Never mind fancy coming over for a brew before I help you two move in"

"Sure"

Later that day...

Alice P.O.V

Arghhh I can't believe it I'm finally surrounded by my family again and Uncle Max has offered for me and Joey to stay.

Joey P.O.V

Me and Uncle max have just sat down after moving and unpacking mine and Alice's room. He decided since me and Al are back and are staying for good that a family gathering is in order so we arranged for the remaining family in Walford to meet in the vic for 7:30pm. When we got to the vic Carol, Abi, Whitney, Lee ( who I was told is whitney long term boyfriend), Liam, Cindy and Cora were all sat at a table as well as my main man Fats.

"Alright mate been a long time," Fats said

"Yeah been alright I guess"

"Nahh he hasn't ain't be since he left and hasn't been near a girl since Lau..."Joey cut in mid way through, "Alice stop that's enough"

"What I'm just saying,"Alice replied with a hint of innocence in her voice.

Lauren's P.O.V

"That's weird theirs no answer,"she said to Peter as they stood at the top step of number 5 her family home.

"Let's try the vic you never know they might be their"

So Lauren and Peter walked back down the steps and to the the vic before she walked in she took a deep breath opened the door. She desperately looked around trying to find a familiar and comforting face that was until she suddenly locked eyes with someone. However this someone was the one and only person she shared a very special connection with and those eyes only belonged to one person she knew. She opened her mouth and let out a word to which she originally thought to be a whisper but instead she shouted it as loud as well let's say their was nothing that loud before.

"JOEY!"

Inside the vic

By now everyone has turned and looked towards her and Joey looking and connecting with each other in the eyes as if they were communicating their emotions completely oblivious to everyone else in the room and at that moment was just them. Just then a whole lot of lost love,comfort and happiness overfilled the vic. Everyone was still looking from Joey to lauren back and forth but no movement seemed to break the bond until Max finally spoke "Lauren?"

"Hmm oh hi dad surprise...," she said with a slight giggle

"What are you doing here,"

"Nice to see you too dad," everyone kept looking at her a Joey after their 'weird moment they had shared'

Lauren walked towards the table I never knew Joey was back she thought to her self anyway she found an empty seet which happened to be opposite Joey and Peter sat down next to her the whole family suddenly felt rather awkward...

Carol finally spoke ain't this funny 3 members of our family back in the space of a day the only people however who laughed where Cora, Liam and Cindy. Everyone else's was keeping quite and thinking the same thing and very suprisingly it was Lauren who broke the awkward silence

"Hey" she said in looking Joeys direction. The familiar masculine looked around at everyone else as and was assured that they feel just as uncomfortable as him but he bit the bullet...

"Alright" he said putting on a fake smile

"How's things bet you been busy"

He looked at Alice who gave him a sympathetic look and finally opened his mouth "No not really actually haven't been doing much bet the same can't be said for you though"

"What's that supposed to mean"

"Nothing I just wondered what've you been doing"

"Yeah I've been in New Zealand but apart from the that same old same old minus the alcohol of course aha"

"That's good your laying off it... Oh is that the time I better go," he said desperate for an excuse to escape the uncomfortable situation.

"Wait, no Joey don't go, please don't go, I want you to stay"

"Why? ay Lauren why?"

"Cos, well we need a catch up"

"There's a lot of thing I need none of which I seem to get"

Everyone in the pub was transfixed on their interaction all except Max who knew what needed to be done...

"Lauren, Joey have one of you got a key to number 5 on you"

Everyone by now was looking and questioning what Max was suggesting.

Lauren answered first "yeah why?"

Because you two need to talk just you and him , without everyone else listening and voicing their opinions.

Joey remained quiet and very diverse about Max's proposition lauren looked backed in Joeys direction desperate for a sign of indication of wanting to talk then focused back on to her dad and said "ok"

As Joey walked out Max grabbed Lauren's hand and whispered In her ear

"Text when it's free to come back and be honest with him Lauren he is still in love with you and hasn't been with anyone since and if your honest with yourself too you haven't stopped loving him to and I don't think you will"

"Alright dad and thank you for making me opening my eyes"

And with that he nodded and walked out to see a waiting Joey. She walks up the steps and finds herself and him in the position of when he was changed to the metal flower in the park and is struggling with coping of the close proximity of the pair.


	2. Change

In the house...

Neither of them have said a word Joey makes them a brew and they both sit down at the kitchen table.

Joeys P.O.V

"So how you've been"

"Really aye Lauren after 2yrs you ask me how I've been"

"I'm sorry Joey for not coming with you that day I regret it"

"What?"

"I do Joey I do"

"Your with Peter"

"Yeah I am but it's you who I imagine him to be its you is imagine I'm next to when I wake in the morning it's you that I want held by it's you who I am in love with an I know you are in love with me too"

Joeys eyes were now focused on Lauren's lips oh how he wanted to attack them with his however he decided talking needed to come first.

"I missed you Lo every single day, not a day went by where you weren't my first though I the morning and and the lags thing I spoke at night. Your it fir me Lauren your who I have been waiting for my whole life, your what makes me complete, you're what make my existence worth living for your the missing part of me your the love of my my life always have been and always will be"

With that Joey seized the opportunity and kissed her she deepened the kiss and all the affection that had built up over the past couple of years became very much apparent without even realising it Lauren had stood up and was dragging Joey out of the kitchen and towards her room whilst their lips still interlocking and various items of clothing being dumped along the way. Finally when they reached Joeys 'new room' and Lauren's 'old one' Joey pressed Lauren against the now closed door kissing her with so much passion most likely leaving her lips bruised, traced his lips lower and lower to her neck where he nipped slightly at the skin waiting for a reaction then tugged harder allowing his love to be illustrated.

"Oh god Joey I've been waiting for this, for what seems like for ever" with that she put her lips back on to his and quickly deepened the kiss.

By now Joey and Lauren were completely clothe less in a very passionate make out session and showing their ever lasting for one another they reached the bed and Joey took control and at that moment wanted Lauren more than ever and the same could be said for Lauren...


	3. What happens now

2 hours later

Meanwhile in the pub everyone was getting anxious about how long they've been so they decided to go over to number 5 to see what had been going much to their obligation that Lauren and Joey had just bedded each other.

At number 5 Lauren and Joey were very much comfortable where they were Lauren was enclosed in Joeys arms snuggling onto his chest whilst he offered protection to her.

"Joey?"

"Mmm"

"I love this me and you it's what I've been waiting for my whole life our connection is so special and unbreakable I love you Joey with all my heart"

"I know Lauren me too, like I said before your it for me, your what makes me complete, your what makes my world go round"

"So where does this leave us now?"

"It's up to you I don't want to pressurise you into anything"

"Well I know one thing for certain"

"Yeah? What's that then?"

"That I want to wake up like this everyday and I ain't losing you ever so I'm going to leave him, leave Peter"

"Really you'd do that"

"Course"

"I love you Lauren Branning your a remarkable woman"

Max, Peter, Abi, Jay and Alice were gathered on the steps to number 5 waking for Max to open the door so they could go in and see what was taking so long.

"We should probably get up now babe they might come and look for us after all we've been nearly 2 and a half hours"

"Ahhh can't we stay a bit longer I love this she begged"

"Ahah now that you put it like that course I'd do anything for you, you know that right?

Max opened the door and it seemed really quite downstairs so he decided to head upstairs with the others in tow were he heard giggling coming form Lauren's old room and pushed open the door slightly and smiled at what he saw his daughter snuggled up to the love of her life.

"Joey?" Alice said with a hint of humour in her voice just then everyone flooded the room to where Joey and Lauren were currently sleeping after all they were tired. Joeys eyes began to flicker and he started to make out 5 silhouettes of people 4 of which smiling happily the other one not so happy

Oh no he thought...

He nudged Lauren with his leg so she began to stir and also could see 5 other figures she looked at Joey and they both laughed

"We can explain," they both said simultaneously


End file.
